Page 20 of Cruel Alpha Beast
Danielle’s eyebrows furrow, like she’s recalling something she hasn’t thought of in some time. “Monroe, do you remember the story the wise women used to tell us when we were kids?”
“I—I think so.” Monroe clams a hand down on her hip as she tries to remember it, herself.
“It was something about a witch long ago,” Danielle says slowly as it all comes back to her. “She was wronged by a pack of shifters, and then she was turned into a tree. For the most part, she’s dormant, but every so often, her spirit reactivates, and she tries to get her revenge.”
“When the willow is afire, wash it down with your desire,” Sawyer recites.
Danielle looks at him strangely. “Where did you hear that before?”
“What are you talking about?” I ask. “What does that even mean?”
“The saying has been in my family for generations,” Sawyer tells Danielle. “I have no idea what it means, though. All I know is there’s a tapestry in our meeting hall with a burning tree, a woman, a wolf, and a wave of water.”
I furrow my brow, the image of that tapestry returning to my mind after so many years away. I even walked past it the afternoon before, when I came to find Greg, but I didn’t think anything of it.
“Why don’t you guys sit for a second?” Danielle offers, putting her coffee down on a nearby coaster. “I’ll be right back.”
Monroe brandishes the couch. I lead Sawyer over to it, and we sit down, several inches apart from each other. Monroe hovers by the armchair, remaining on her feet.
“Do you know what this is about?” I ask her.
Monroe shrugs her shoulders. “I have my theories, but I’m not really sure.”
I can hear Danielle rummaging through the drawers in her bedroom. After several moments of thick silence, she comes back into view, bearing an old, yellowed scroll of parchment. She comes to Monroe’s side and unfurls it, turning the scroll around to show Sawyer and me an ink drawing.
There’s a snarling wolf, and next to it is a human woman who hurls a magic water ball toward a beautiful witch. But the witch is halfway in the process of turning into a willow tree. A tree whose drooping branches have caught on fire.
Chapter 8 - Sawyer
The twin I’ve come to know as Danielle swallows hard across from me. She curls the scroll back up, her hands shaking. My own chest is tight after looking at the etching.
“It’s clear to me that there are two sides to this story,” I say in a low voice. “But it appears neither of us knows the full scope of either.”
“Monroe and I will do some more research on our own,” Danielle says. She glances at her sister and pats her on the back.
“You can’t just do some spells or make some potions to figure this out?” I ask. It comes out gruffer than I mean for it to, and Lacey glares at me from the other side of the couch.
Monroe purses her lips and shuffles on her feet uncomfortably. Danielle eyes her carefully before turning to me.
“No, we’re too busy killing virgins and using their blood to make our skin look younger,” she says coldly. “Magic has its place in this investigation, but at this point, research is the most important thing we can do right now.”
I catch Danielle rubbing a circle into her twin’s shoulder blade. I seem to have struck a nerve, but I don’t know what exactly it is.
“I promise I’m not just saying this,” Danielle says, “but it’s really in your best interest to get out of here. Most of the women in the coven aren’t quite as trusting as we are.
“But Lacey,” she turns to my wife, “you know you will always be welcome in this space. Bringing him, though… That was a risky decision on your part.”
“I made her bring me along,” I say quickly, trying to help get the heat off of Lacey as much as I can. I reach for her hand,taking it in mine. “Like I told you earlier, she and Shea are my highest priorities. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to Lacey out in the woods. I can’t let her out of my sight.”
Stunned, it takes Lacey a moment before she wrenches her hand free. The warmth of her skin beneath mine cools swiftly, and soon all I have is the memory.
“I understand,” Danielle says in a low voice. “Lacey is our best friend. She’s amazing. And if anything happened to her, I would raise absolute hell.”
I stand up and reach a hand out to her. “Glad we can agree on something.”
Danielle hesitates before shaking my hand. She nods, and when she lets go, I turn to Monroe, who gives me the limpiest handshake I’ve ever received in my life.
The twins exchange glances again, and I wonder just how strong their twin telepathy is, or if they’re just telepathic because they are witches. Either way, they seem to come to a silent consensus and look both Lacey and me in the eye.
